Love is in the air in Collier County! I am excited to share that we had a tremendous response for our 4th Annual Valentine’s Day Wedding and Vow Renewal Ceremony. We will be at full capacity, with 45 couples tying the knot or renewing their vows to celebrate love on the most romantic day of the year. For those who were not able to sign up, please join us next year! I would like to express my gratitude to our community partners for their support to make this day a memorable experience for our couples. I am looking forward to officiating the ceremony and welcoming our new and repeat couples.
I recently attended the East Naples Civic & Commerce (ENC&C) 2024 Annual Dinner Banquet and saw one of my dearest friends, former District One County Commissioner Donna Fiala, receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. She has undoubtedly left her marks on Collier County’s history and the hearts of the citizens as an outstanding leader and public servant. It was an incredible time celebrating her productive career and dedication to the Collier County community.
Last month, we received a statewide alert of recent fraud cases targeting Florida residents. Scammers are contacting residents through phone calls, claiming they are a judge or law enforcement and demanding payment for failure to appear in court. Our Office of Inspector General hotline received two reports, noting similar calls from fraudsters asserting they were from the Collier County or Manatee County Sheriff’s offices. Residents are advised to be wary of caller IDs and to never give personal or financial information over the phone to a stranger. Please remember that Florida Clerk’s Offices will never ask for payment due to failure to appear in court for jury duty. If you encounter any suspicious calls, please report them to law enforcement, we will make others aware of these ongoing scams and hopefully limit their success.
Residents who are interested in submitting their passport applications on a weekend without having to take time off during office hours are invited to join us for our Annual Passport Saturday event on Saturday, March 9, 2024, from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Heritage Bay Government Services Center. To be eligible to participate in this Passport Saturday event, residents must either be a first-time passport applicant, or requesting a new passport if their previous passport was issued more than 15 years ago, or applying for a passport for a minor. For more information, visit CollierClerk.com/Passports.
As I noted in our January Newsletter, one of my goals this year is to engage more with our community. We are currently scheduling dates for presentations through 2024. Presentations can be as brief as 15–20-minute overviews or more in-depth educational programs for local middle and high school civic classes, homeowners’ associations, civic organizations, and professional trade associations. Our office provides essential services that I’d like people to know about and use. Please contact community.outreach@collierclerk.com to schedule a date for the presentation.
Read the full February 2024 Newsletter here.
